THE shortlist of those vying to become Colchester’s Labour parliamentary candidate at the next general election has been announced.

The list of four potential candidates includes two Colchester councillors, and councillors from Harlow and Southend.

Colchester Council culture and heritage boss Professor Pam Cox made the list.

The councillor, who is also head of the department of Sociology at Essex University, said: “Labour needs to win seats like Colchester at the next general election if we are to form a majority government.

“I have won for Labour in my ward securing a 21 per cent swing in the 2021 local elections in a Lib Dem stronghold and helping two more Labour candidates to win there in 2022.

“I believe I can do the same for the Parliamentary constituency.

“I’ve worked with the Labour group, Colchester Labour Party and the wider community to push for policies that secure inclusive economic growth, protect workers’ living standards and support residents and families during the worst cost of living crisis for many generations.”

Lee Scordis, 35, who has served as a Colchester borough councillor since 2016 and as an Essex county councillor since 2017, has also been shortlisted.

Mr Scordis said he believes Colchester “can be so much better than it is”.

“We not only see crime on the rise, buses being cut and businesses suffering - I also see fundamental issues being ignored,” he said.

“We have a red-herring of a bus station, a town centre dealing with the implications of having an out-of-town shopping centre.

“The Roman capital of Britain that does not even make the most of Gosbecks where the Emperor Claudius accepted the surrender of the Britons.

“We can and should be one of the top five names people mention when talking about tourism.”

Chris Vince, leader of the Labour group on Harlow Council, and Southend councillor Lydia Hyde complete the shortlist.

Labour has finished second behind the Conservatives at the last two general elections, with MP Will Quince’s current majority standing at 9,423.

But with a Labour surge in the polls, the hopeful candidates believe Colchester could turn red for the first time since 1945.

A hustings is scheduled for November 5 at a venue to be announced.